Monthly Archives: April 2012

26Apr

It’s come down to this . . . .

WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! these pics are the real deal taken by me of a lash stylist that said she was certified and using a single strand “non-damaging” system.

It’s a sad day when you realise you can no longer trust the work by others in your industry and trust me the eyelash extension industry in the GTA is a small one. Up until recently, I have never minded relashing the work of other stylists as long as the work is single strand and done by another Xtreme Lashes stylist it should never be a problem. After all,we are all trained in the same way, use the same product and are held to the same standard right ?. Nope, I guess I was wrong . . . .and this makes me so sad for many reasons. We are all trained under a single strand principle meaning: 1 natural eyelash receives 1 extension. I’ve said this hundreds of times, I will never apply a semi, cluster or multiple as we are taught to maintain the integrity of the hair. It seems that too many lash stylists that SAY they are certified and SAY they are using a single strand system must have fallen asleep in class. What is happening to unsuspecting clients thinking they got lucky by paying less but getting a lash professional sickens me. Why am I making a big deal about this ? because if you had next to no eyelashes left due to someone else’s carelessness you would be upset too. Here’s the scenerio that has become all too frequent in my studio: a client calls and wants a relash done on an exisiting set of lashes. First I ask “is this a single strand system?”. If the client answers “Yes” I will usually follow that question by asking if the stylist was Xtreme Lashes and if the answer to that is also yes I will book the relash. So the client arrives and as soon as I see them I know without having to have them lie down – there is no way that is a single strand system. So I have the job of breaking the news to them and most times I also now have the job of telling them their lashes are very badly damaged. So of course now this situation has become awkward . . . even though it wasn’t my work to begin with, I am the bearer of bad news. To keep it polite, let’s just say after delivering that tidbit I am no longer on their Christmas card list.

Here’s the part I REALLY don’t like . . . . . I will now no longer be lashing the work of other stylists unless I am very familiar with the quality and will not have to upset some poor person because a job wasn’t done correctly. Here’s the deal, if you don’t like using a single strand system because it’s tedious or the product is too expensive then don’t use it. BBBBBBUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTT !!!!!!!!!!!! don’t tell your client that is what your using and then continue to apply terrible product over and over again until they are almost bald. Just please don’t . . . it’s devastating to people to know that the hair is beyond repair and might have to resort to strip lashes everyday until their hair grows back.

22Apr

Ummmmm I thought they would be thicker ?

Like most beauty based small businesses, a lot of my new clients come from referrals from current clients. 95 % of the time this is AWESOME and I love meeting friends and family of my client base. Sometimes my current client has lots of natural hair to work with leading to a really full outcome. This can lead to my new client being disappointed with their results after the application is complete if they do not have the same amount of hair growth as their friend or family member. It is important to remember that with a SINGLE STRAND system we can only enhance what is already existing. Meaning, that if you have lots of natural eyelash hair, you will have lots of extensions added to the available adult hair. On the flip side . . . if you do not have much hair to work with from the beginning than your look will not be as full as someone who has more hair than you. Either way, the result will be exactly as promised – it will look like you are wearing fabulous mascara that doesn’t wash off or run. Any certified lash stylist will only lash the available adult hair, leaving the immature hair growth alone. Our primary concern is the long term health of the eyelash hair and we will not do anything to harm it. Clusters, semi’s or multiples provide a fuller look for those with sparse lash growth but at what cost ?. The cost is damage to the natural hair and the heartache of waiting for it to grow back.

8Apr

Salt Water ? No Problem

Here’s an interesting fact: A lot of my current regular clients started as vacationers looking to pull together their look while taking it easy in the tropics or shooting down the hills. There seems to be a misconception that salt water will eat away at the bond of the extension. The answer to that question is pure and simple – NOPE . . . your extensions are just fine in the salt water. Tons of my clients dive and snorkel with these babies and emerge from the sea like beautiful streak free mermaids (I could be pushing it here). However the fact remains that lashes are suited for vacations and really after sun block extensions should be next on your vacation “To Do” list.